Arrange Marriage

CHAP 9

Wonwoo was used to having control. He had always been the one who made others nervous, his presence commanding respect and, more often than not, intimidation. So, naturally, he’d also been the one to feel possessive of Mingyu—watching closely whenever anyone seemed a little too interested in his husband, catching himself scowling if someone lingered too long in a conversation with him. But Mingyu? Not a single jealous bone in his body. Not once had Mingyu shown even a hint of possessiveness over him, and it was beginning to get on Wonwoo’s nerves.

The first time he tested Mingyu, it was mostly by accident. Wonwoo had been meeting with his secretary that morning, and she’d noticed his tie was slightly askew. In her usual, professional manner, she stepped forward and reached to fix it, guiding his collar and adjusting the knot with her fingers. At that exact moment, Mingyu walked in.

Wonwoo expected to see at least a flicker of jealousy in Mingyu’s expression, maybe a scowl or even just a slightly arched eyebrow. But instead, Mingyu simply tilted his head and smirked, crossing his arms as he watched.

“Can’t even fix your own tie, Mr. Jeon?” Mingyu teased, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Talk about entitled.”

Wonwoo’s face fell slightly as Mingyu gave him a playful grin and then strolled right past him to grab his own coffee, unbothered by the entire exchange. His secretary, flustered by the unexpected interruption, quickly finished her task and excused herself, leaving Wonwoo alone, staring at Mingyu with mild disbelief.

“Is that all you’re going to say?” Wonwoo asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Mingyu looked at him, his expression untroubled. “What? Were you expecting me to get all territorial or something?” He laughed, shaking his head. “Wonwoo, please. If you need someone to tie your tie, that’s your business. I have no reason to get worked up over it.”

Wonwoo felt an odd mix of frustration and intrigue. Mingyu’s confidence was unshakable, and though Wonwoo admired it, he found himself oddly… unsatisfied.

Over the next few days, he came up with small scenarios, each one a little more intentional than the last. He let his secretary linger in his office longer than usual during meetings, arranged for female acquaintances to accompany him to certain business events, and even let a former business associate—a known flirt—hang around him during a dinner.

But Mingyu didn’t bat an eye. Every time, he would watch calmly, give Wonwoo a cheeky grin, or even throw a joke his way, amused by Wonwoo’s seeming need for attention. But he didn’t show a hint of jealousy, and it was driving Wonwoo absolutely mad.

One evening, Wonwoo finally snapped. After another fruitless attempt at getting a reaction from Mingyu, he returned home, his patience worn thin. Mingyu was in the living room, sprawled out comfortably on the couch, flipping through his notes from class. He looked up when Wonwoo walked in, sensing his husband’s tense mood.

“Everything okay?” Mingyu asked, eyebrows raised.

Wonwoo let out a low growl of frustration, tossing his jacket over a chair and pacing a few steps before turning to face Mingyu directly. “Do you even care about me enough to be jealous, Mingyu?” he asked, his voice sharper than he intended. “Or do you just not care if I’m with someone else?”

Mingyu blinked, momentarily surprised by Wonwoo’s outburst. Then a slow, knowing smile spread across his face as he set his notes aside and sat up on the couch, resting his chin on his hand.

“Oh, so that’s what this has been about.” Mingyu chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “You’ve been trying to make me jealous, haven’t you?”

Wonwoo’s jaw clenched, the heat rising in his face. He was rarely caught off-guard, but Mingyu’s reaction had him stumbling for words. “I—well, I thought… I just thought it would be nice if you showed it once in a while. I mean, do you even care if—”

Before he could finish, Mingyu crossed the room and closed the distance between them. He stopped mere inches from Wonwoo, his eyes locked onto Wonwoo’s with an intensity that made Wonwoo’s heartbeat quicken. Slowly, Mingyu raised a hand and placed it on Wonwoo’s chest, his fingers grazing over the fabric of his shirt.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu murmured, his voice low and warm, “I don’t need to be jealous to know that you’re mine.”

Wonwoo felt his breath hitch as Mingyu leaned in closer, his lips brushing against Wonwoo’s ear. “I know you belong to me,” he whispered, his voice a tantalizing mix of assurance and affection. “And I don’t worry about anyone else, because no one else could make you feel the way I do.”

Wonwoo’s face flushed, his heart pounding in his chest as Mingyu’s words sank in, each one striking a chord that sent warmth coursing through him. Mingyu’s confidence, his unshakable trust, and the way he seemed so certain of their bond—it left Wonwoo completely disarmed, speechless in a way he hadn’t expected.

Mingyu pulled back slightly, a soft smirk on his lips as he studied Wonwoo’s reaction. “I don’t need to get jealous, Wonwoo,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “Because I know that no matter who tries to get close to you, it’s me you come home to. It’s me who knows all your little quirks, your habits, and that annoying look you get when you’re trying to prove a point.”

Wonwoo’s frustration melted away, replaced by something softer, something he couldn’t quite put into words. Mingyu’s faith in their relationship, his quiet assurance—it was grounding in a way that Wentwon hadn’t realized he’d been searching for. Wonwoo finally managed a small smile, reaching up to take Mingyu’s hand in his own.

“Fine,” he muttered, feeling the heat in his face as he met Mingyu’s gaze. “I guess that’s a decent answer.”

Mingyu laughed, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he gave Wonwoo’s hand a squeeze. “I’m glad you approve, Mr. Jeon,” he teased, his voice light but filled with warmth. “Now, are you done with your little jealousy experiments?”

Wonwoo couldn’t help but laugh, nodding as he let go of the last of his frustration. “Fine. I admit defeat.”

Mingyu smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Wonwoo’s cheek. “Good,” he murmured. “Because there’s only one person I want to see you flustered over, and it’s me.”

Wonwoo felt his heart race again at the words, a blush creeping back onto his face. He realized, in that moment, just how deeply Mingyu’s quiet confidence had affected him. Jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity—they all seemed to fade in the face of Mingyu’s calm assurance, leaving Wonwoo with nothing but a quiet, profound certainty of his own.

As they stood there in the soft glow of the evening, the tension from before forgotten, Wonwoo felt a new kind of warmth settle over him. Mingyu didn’t need to be jealous to prove his love, because he showed it in every word, every touch, and every moment they shared.

And in the end, Wonwoo found that was more than enough.